Lesson 3 on biblical submission...
Difference Between Submission and Obedience
submit (v): 1) to give over or yield to the power or authority of another; 2) to present for the approval, consideration, or decision of another or others: to submit a plan; to submit an application;
obey (v): 1) to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of; 2) to comply with or follow (a command, restriction, wish, instruction, etc.).
As you can see, by definition, submission is a far greater thing than obedience.
Submission requires love, respect and a wiling yield to another. Obedience on the other hand doesn't require any personal relationship between the one giving the "command" and the one obeying the command.
For example, a Private in an army might obey his Commanding Officer, but may also hate and disrespect his Commanding Officer by talking negatively behind his back or even plotting to do evil. The Private's motivation to obey his Commanding Officer may be out of fear and self-protection or self-promotion. Either way, he is obeying only to improve his current situation, which is only self-centered.
But a Private who submits to his Commanding Officer will not only obey, but be a blessing to his Commanding Officer. This happens because submission requires a personal relationship, where mutual love and respect are shared.
While a wife may obey her husband, if she does not submit to him, they will have a marriage more like an orderly military company, rather than a loving and generous relationship with one another. A submissive wife not only brings order to her house, but she excels above a merely obedient wife by blessing her husband with the beauty of Christ - and everything pales in comparison to Christ.
I've often been asked, "But what does a submissive wife and obedient wife look like? Can you help me?" I sure can!
obey (v): 1) to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of; 2) to comply with or follow (a command, restriction, wish, instruction, etc.).
As you can see, by definition, submission is a far greater thing than obedience.
Submission requires love, respect and a wiling yield to another. Obedience on the other hand doesn't require any personal relationship between the one giving the "command" and the one obeying the command.
For example, a Private in an army might obey his Commanding Officer, but may also hate and disrespect his Commanding Officer by talking negatively behind his back or even plotting to do evil. The Private's motivation to obey his Commanding Officer may be out of fear and self-protection or self-promotion. Either way, he is obeying only to improve his current situation, which is only self-centered.
But a Private who submits to his Commanding Officer will not only obey, but be a blessing to his Commanding Officer. This happens because submission requires a personal relationship, where mutual love and respect are shared.
While a wife may obey her husband, if she does not submit to him, they will have a marriage more like an orderly military company, rather than a loving and generous relationship with one another. A submissive wife not only brings order to her house, but she excels above a merely obedient wife by blessing her husband with the beauty of Christ - and everything pales in comparison to Christ.
I've often been asked, "But what does a submissive wife and obedient wife look like? Can you help me?" I sure can!
Here's what they look like:
I hope this made you smile. :-)
When I first saw the clip it struck me as funny/cute. After I watched it a couple more times reality started to appear. Probably too many wives live like the first part of the clip and miss out on the blessing of the second part. That's not so funny/cute.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing God's plan for wives :)
It's hard to learn to change your face. :) If you have the first face, the world tells you "that's right, you shouldn't do what he asks with a smile, he's not your boss, etc" The second face takes way more effort, but the world views it as weakness. I, sadly, have a hard time with the second face. I can still have the mindset of the first face. But, I know that the Lord is glorified with the second face whether it's to our own husbands or to others. *sigh* Got a lot of chipping away to do.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing well at changing. Sometimes we get impatient and want things, including ourselves, to change immediately. I have found it sometimes takes a life time to change. But guess what.....maybe it's not the goal that matters but the process :) Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteGod is in control.
Thank you. A lot to think about.
ReplyDelete